Study Desk

But if I say thus to the young man, "Look, the arrows are beyond you'--go your way, for the LORD has sent you away.

Now the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, [fn] and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.

But the lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter.

As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so.

And the priest answered David and said, "There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women."

So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away.

Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me." But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the LORD.

Stay with me; do not fear. For he who seeks my life seeks your life, but with me you shall be safe."

But David's men said to him, "Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"

And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

But a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Hurry and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land!"

Look, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, "I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'

Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you.

As the proverb of the ancients says, "Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.' But my hand shall not be against you.

So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.

But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields.

And she said to her servants, "Go on before me; see, I am coming after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal [fn] is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.